Casing spinning apparatus for drilling rigs



.OCIZ. 13, 1931.. w,w FOSTER CASING SPINNING APPARATUS FOR DRILLING RIGS [N VEN' TOR.

ITTOR'VFY Ba l 57 M Milk water Filed Feb.

Pategnted dct. 1 3, 193l I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER W. FOSTER, OI! 'WIGHITA FALLS, TEXAS CASING SPINNING APPARATTIS FOR DRILLINGBIGS Application filed February 1, 1828. Serial No. 336,812.

This invention relates to well drilling hoist and line assembly and its connection equipment and it has particular reference to with the casing line.

a combination of elements designed to co-op- Figure 2 is a detail view of the counter erate in setting up well casing and the prmbalance withportins cut away to illustrate 6 cipal object of the invention resides 1n the the guide line therethrough. 55

provision of apparatus receiving its power Figure 3 is a detail view of the draw line of operation from the draw works line shaft sheave showing the yielding frame supportof the conventional rotary drilling equiping the same, and

ment, and capable of reducing to the very Figure 4 is a sectional view of one of the minimum manual labor, accidents and cost of derrick legs, showing the pulleys near the 60 operation incident to the operation of setderrick floor and under which the lines pass ting up casing in the old and established and are operatively directed toward the casmanner, that of operating a line off the coning assembly or tongs, as the case may be. stantly rotating cat head afiixed to the line Continuing now more in detail, the derrick h ft, is indicated by the character 1, and the leg 65 Still further, the invention com rehends upon which the elements of the lnvention are the provision of apparatus as set orth inmounted is specifically indicated at 2. eluding as its foremost elements a Weighted The conventional draw works, generally element for returning the lines to operative referred to at 3 in Figure 1, is positioned relaposition after eachoperation, and a yield tive to the rotary table 4, shown incomplete 70 able sheave so arranged as to relieve any also in Figure 1, has the conventional line strain upon the parts and especially-the casshaft 5 and drilling drum 6, but which lating joints in event the latter is impro erly ter has no operative relationship with the engaged by the casing sections as the utter present invention.

are placed in position for threading in, which S1tuated upon the line shaft 5 in the place 75 fact frequently results in damaging the of the conventional cat head, but forming the threads'of either the joint or casing section sub ect matter of a separate application for in the absence of means to prevent, as pro- Letters Patent, is a frlction hoist comprised vided by the invention. of a special cat head 7 having a flange 8, the

Yet another object of the invention resides latter being provided with a friction periph- 80 in the provision of apparatus as specified for ery. Below this cat head is situated a fricsimple, economical and durable nature and tion wheel the flange 9 of which is alined requiring little skill in operation and so dewith the friction surface of the flange 8 of signed 'as to be used both in the operation of the speclal cat head. This friction wheel is setting up and breaking out casing and tubarranged upon a special mountlng, and se- 86 ing sections, by simply interchanging the Cured t0 h l P y means 0f h lines in order that they may be either enboltfi used 111 5901111118 the 1011111311 1 11130 twined about the casing beingthreaded in the l P and the mountmg 1s ranged as to provide a s indle 12 off centered or to the end of the tongs m breakmg lomts with respect to the rotating axis of the wheel,

i lVith the fore oin objects as paramount p the invention has particular reference to its Whlch latter 1S mdlcated at Thls featilre salient features of construction and argnablesthe Wheel 9 to be oscluatqd to bring rangement of parts by which the foregoing 33 133figfig g fi%fig?i zt l glii P are attained aPd which will become ing motion of the latter will be imparted to mamfest descnptlon procefdsi taken the friction wheel 9. Oscillation of this fricconnectlfm Wlth the mpan m draw" tion wheel in the manner above described is QF t f p p f attained by pressure upon the operating leg represen S a f t y Vlew 0 ver 14 extending to an accesslble posltion near a derrick, showing the drawworks, friction th d i k fl v Afiixed to rotate with the friction wheel 9,

which latter is normally idle, is a drum 15,

about which is wound a line 16, the latter extending upwardl and over a sheave 17 suspended in a suita le frame, to be described later, and downward and afiixed in an eye 18 secured to the weight 19.

With particular reference to this weight 19, shown in detail in Figure 2, it will be observed that a longitudinal opening 20 is made therein parallel with respect to its line of travel, through this opening is passed a line 21, which latter isconnected to abracket 22, near the sheave 17 the opposite end being connected to a mounting 23, near the lower end of the derrick leg 2, and which latter mounting serves to support pulleys 24 and 25 and will be later referred to. The line 21 passing through the weight 19 serves as a guide for the latter, constraining the same to travel near the leg of the derrick and thus be out of the way of the operators. It will likewise be noted that near the upper securing point of this line is incorporated a turn buckle 26, by means of which the line may be tightened when it becomes slack, in order that as little friction as possible will be present during reciprocative movement of the weight thereon.

To the bottom of the weight'19 is afiixed preferably two eyes 27 as shownin Figure 1, and while one eye may be sufficient, two have been shown to accommodate two lines, although these lines are alternately used as will become apparent presently.

In spinning in casing sections, a line 28 is affixed to one of the eyes 27, and is threaded under pulley 24 or 25 and the other end thereof wrapped, in the manner shown in Figure 1 about the joint of pipe protruding from the well, preparatory to slipping the same upward upon the lower end of the casing section 29, as it is lowered by the elevator, (not shown) to seat upon the joint. When seated. the loosely wrapped line is manually slipped upward, upon the casing section 29. whereupon one operator holds the free end of the line 29, while another operator depresses the treadle at the end of lever 14, which action causes the friction wheel 9 to move against the friction surface of the cat head flange 8, which, it will be understood is constantly rotating. Obviously, the line 16 begins to wind upon the drum 15, carried by the friction wheel 9, causing the weight 19 to ascend, pulling with i=" the end of the line 28. and thus turning the casing section 29 suspended by the elevator above the joint.

Frequently, the end of the suspended section is improperly seated in the joint. and with the old methods of spinning in. the strain upon the line is positive and has no provisions for yieldability. Therefore. should the section be improperly seated, either the joint or section is likely to be shorn iteaaveo of threads, or other equally disastrous results, reguiring that another joint or section be su stituted. To-avoid such a condition, the present invention affords a means in the form of an inverted U shaped frame 30, between the legs of which is interposed the sheave 17 over which the line 16 is passed, and above the sheave is a compression spring 31, and a lateral element 31a integral with the frame 30, through which passes a rod 32, freely slidable through the top of the U shaped frame 30. At the lower end of the rod is a washer 33, below which is a nut 34.- which abuts the lateral element 31a when weight is applied to the sheave 17. The spring is of considerable strength, capable of supporting a maximum load of approxima ely six or seven thousand pounds, and obviously when a load of such proportion is imposed upon the sheave 17, the spring 31 is compressed, thus alleviating any sudden strain upon the joint in the manner described above. The washer 35 and retaining nut 36 are arranged to limit the compression and extension of the spring 31.

The invention of course anticipates the use of any type of means for yieldingly suspending the overhead sheave 17 whether it be of the character shown and described or its equivalent that shown being merely the preferred structure.

As mentioned previously, the apparatus may be used for setting up casing, that is to say. spinning in by means of a line on tightening the joint by connecting the line to the end of the tongs and imparting thereto a series of oscillatory movements until the joint is secure. In the latter case, tongs are employed, and in the absence of apparatus such as provided by the invention, this work must be done manually. It is necessary only to disconnect the line 28 from the eye'27. connect a shorter, and possibly a wire instead of a manila line to the eye, thread it through one of the pulleys below the weight and conheat the free end to the handle of the tongs (not shown). As the lever 14: is actuated o engage the friction elements, the tongs are actuated to rotate the casing section to tighten it into the joint. A suitable spring or weight may be used to return the tongs to a new position for operation, which function is an established and well known process.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the operation of spinning in and setting up casing. tubing and the like, heretofore considered a difficult and distasteful task has been. rendered by the invention a comparativelv easy operation. and one in which there is little likelihood of mishap such as entangling an operator in the lines, which. as anparent, are well out of the way, or other accidents common to the carrying out of the operations aforesaid;

It is understood however. that while the invention has been described in detail, modifiweight connected to said vertically disposed end, and a second line connected to the Weight at one end and having its other end free and adapted to engage about and rotate a casing.

2. In an apparatus of the type set forth, pulling means, a line connected to said pulling means to be pulled thereb and extending vertically both upwar y and then downwardly, a line for engaging about :1. casing to rotate same, and means interposed between the downwardly extending part of the first line and the second line and connected to each to restore same to normal position after each operation thereof.

3. An apparatus for spinning in and setting up casing sections and the like includin a line for having operative connections to sai casing, a second line connected to said first line, means to impart a pull upon the opposite end of the second line to impart to said casing section a series of rapid rotary movements, means 'to allow said second line to yield to the pull imparted thereto and means to return said lines to original position after each operation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

WALTER W. FO R. 

